


Keep Me Close

by buzzbuzz34



Series: Azu Week 2020 [7]
Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Gift Giving, Kissing, Mistletoe, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26933164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzbuzz34/pseuds/buzzbuzz34
Summary: A compilation of soft Azu/Sasha fics.
Relationships: Azu/Sasha Racket
Series: Azu Week 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956034
Comments: 9
Kudos: 12
Collections: Azu Week 2020





	1. Valentine's Day

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't quite sure what to write for Day 7 of Azu Week, so I cleaned up and finished some of my old Azu/Sasha pieces that I've never posted anywhere. I hope you like them!! (Some are holiday specific, but its about the soft so I figured I would still include them lol)

“Happy Valentine’s Day, my love,” Azu said cheerily as she stepped over to Sasha. “May I kiss you?”

“Yeah, but… What’s Valen-what’s-it’s day?”

Azu pressed a quick kiss to Sasha’s temple, her fingers tracing through the small patch of white in her hair that Azu adored despite Sasha’s protestations, then registered Sasha’s words. 

“Wait. You don’t know what Valentine’s Day is?”

“Never heard of it.”

“It’s only the most amazing day of the year!” Azu beamed as she spoke. “Valentine was a worshiper of Aphrodite who earned Her favor by loving everyone unabashedly and proving their love through a variety of tests. The point is, that every year we celebrate their love by showing _our_ love to the people we care about on a special day.”

“Oh, so it’s an Aphrodite thing,” Sasha replied, nodding. “That’s why I hadn’t heard of it.”

“Possibly.” Azu scratched the back of her head; truthfully, she’d never met anyone who hadn’t heard of Valentine’s Day, but she understood that Sasha’s upbringing had been unorthodox to say the least. “All the same, I have a gift for you.”

“Wait, there’s gifts too?”

“Of course.”

“I didn’t know!” Sasha exclaimed, pushing back her chair and lunging away from Azu. “Why didn’t you warn me? I didn’t know, I didn’t get you anything!”

“That’s alright. I don’t need a gift.”

“I mean, neither do I, but you just make up a holiday and then give me things and how am I supposed to get you nice things for a nice holiday if I don’t know it’s coming up?”

“Sasha…”

Sasha’s eyes shifted this way and that as she wondered how quickly she could dart out of the window to try and find something for Azu, some gift to show her how she felt. She’d never been good at gifts or emotions, but Azu deserved nice things, especially on an occasion that clearly meant a lot to her and her religion.

Before she could escape, however, Azu took Sasha’s hands in her own and held them gently. 

“Sasha, you needn’t worry. The day is about love, about spending it with the people you care about most. The gifts are something _I_ want to do, they’re not a requirement.”

“But what if _I_ want to get you a gift?” Sasha pondered, “I should get you gifts more often.”

“You don’t have-”

“I know. But I want to. I love you.”

Azu smiled at Sasha, while Sasha looked away and her cheeks burned red. When Sasha turned back, it was because a small box had been placed in the hand Azu had so softly cradled. 

“I love you too,” Azu whispered.

“I’m still getting you a gift,” Sasha insisted as she accepted the present, subconsciously weighing it to try and determine the contents before opening it. “I won’t even steal it either, I promise.”

“I appreciate that.”

Sasha opened the box and inside was a small, wooden charm, slightly smaller than the size of her palm, in the shape of a heart and decorated with ornate swirling patterns.

“It’s beautiful,” Sasha murmured.

“I’m glad you like it. I made it fo-”

“You made this!?”

Azu nodded. “Yes. I carved it for you. The patterns are traditional of my village. I know you don’t wear jewelry, that it can get in the way, but there’s a small pin on the back of the charm – I figured you could attach it to your jacket somewhere, if you wanted, even on the inside. So that you could always keep me close.”

Without another word, Sasha darted forward and pulled Azu into a tight embrace. Azu leaned down and pressed a slow kiss to the top of Sasha’s head, and they both smiled. 

“Thank you,” Sasha said. “Not sure how I’m supposed to find a gift that lives up to it, though. You’re really putting the pressure on,” she teased, looking up at Azu with a smirk. 

“Sasha, if you really want to get me a gift, I won’t protest. But in all seriousness, you don’t owe me anything. Simply being around you is a gift all its own.”

“Stop it,” Sasha replied, her grin unable to hide beneath the fake pouty face she put on. “You’re going to make me feel feelings.”

“Is that so awful?” Azu teased.

“Yes. Yes, it is. But you? You’re not awful. You’re good. Very, very good. Even with your made-up holidays and meaningful gifts and amazingness and… and…” When words failed her, Sasha elected to bury her face in Azu’s shoulder again, and they held tight to each other. 

“Wait!” Sasha cried several moments later, finally relinquishing her grip on Azu. 

“What is it?”

“I know what to get you for your gift. Come on.”

Sasha tugged on Azu’s hand and pulled her toward the window, which she promptly threw open. As Sasha climbed up onto the sill, perched delicately on the thin swath of wood, Azu hesitated.

“Sasha, I… I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“It’s alright. I’ll help you.”

Azu’s hesitation was palpable, but in the end she stepped up beside Sasha and peeked out the third story window. Heights weren’t the problem; the problem was the long drop that almost inevitably accompanied someone of her size trying to climb anywhere.

“Just swing your legs out. There’s a little ledge under the window.”

“If it’s a little ledge for you, I’m not sure I’ll be able to find it at all,” Azu laughed. 

With a lot of guidance and many close calls, Azu managed to follow Sasha up from the window and onto the roof. Many of the smaller footholds that Sasha used were passed over by Azu as she simply hauled herself upwards.

“Come on, come on,” Sasha insisted, a smile on her lips as she waved Azu over to the far side of the peak. “We’re just in time.”

Azu cautiously followed her, testing her weight before taking any step, and was soon blown away by the flood of colors that decorated the sky. The view of the sunset from a window was wonderful enough, but, unhindered by ceilings or walls, it was breathtaking. 

“Saved you the best spot in the house.” Sasha patted a space beside her. Her feet dangled off the edge carelessly and she beamed as Azu sat beside her, though she did so with more concern for her placement and proximity to the edge. 

“This is amazing,” Azu whispered in awe.

“I don’t let anybody interrupt my roof time,” Sasha said quietly, looking at her hands. “I come here to think, to work things out, to be alone. But… being with you is kind of like being alone, but better? So I wanted you to be here too.”

Azu began to reach out her arm, an offer for Sasha, who quickly ducked into her grasp and snuggled up against Azu’s side. 

“Thank you, Sasha. This is wonderful.”

“I’ll have to introduce you to the gargoyles sometime too. They want to meet you.”

Azu startled. “The gargoyles?”

“Of course. They’re all over the city. They’re good company. I’ve talked about you enough; they want to make sure you’re good for me.”

“I’m… flattered?”

Sasha chuckled. “Don’t worry. They don’t eat people that often.”

“…Right…”

To calm Azu’s worry, Sasha leaned up and pressed a slow kiss to her cheek, before settling back into her comfy position. 

“Happy Valen-tune’s day,” Sasha said as the sun began to dip below the edge of the earth and disappear from view. 

“And the same to you,” Azu replied with a smile. “I love you, Sasha.”

“I love you, too.”


	2. Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a party at the al-Tahan manor, Azu and Sasha slip away for some time away from the crowds.

Door frames in halfling sized houses were always a bit of a concern when you were twice the size of the usual inhabitants, but Azu made do. That didn’t mean, though, that she didn’t occasionally bump into a low ceiling or chandelier, even as she did her best to avoid such collisions. 

In the midst of a party in the al-Tahan household, put on by the family with some added flourishes by Wilde and co., Azu mingled and had a fantastic time, even if she’d been told not to bring out the orcish moonshine, which would have made for a _fantastic_ time. Instead, she sipped on some halfling wine that tasted like juice and mingled. She loved meeting new people. There were friends everywhere, if you were only willing to reach out. 

However, one of her friends, Sasha, didn’t seem to be having such a good time. It was hard to find Sasha at the best of times, but particularly in a mass of strangers accumulated for a relatively formal festivity. The few times Azu did catch sight of her, Sasha was dejectedly munching on an hors d’oeuvre she’d nicked from a passing servant while she watched the goings ons from a quiet corner. 

Azu didn’t want to disturb her, but she did want to make sure she felt safe with a bunch of unknown people around, so she made her way across the foyer toward her, dodging one doorframe while bumping into another and eliciting a few kind laughs and some worried words. She politely batted away the guests’ concerns; if she didn’t get to Sasha while she still had sight of her, she might not find her again for the rest of the evening. 

“How are you doing, Sasha?” She asked as she sidled up to her companion. 

“There’s plenty of little snacks, even if I'm not supposed to nick anything from the rich folks around. So, better than you, I think? How’s your head?”

“Oh,” Azu chuckled to herself, a blush in her cheeks. “It’s fine. I’ve had worse. I just wanted to come check on you, make sure you were having a good time and weren’t too uncomfortable with all the people around.”

Sasha smiled slightly. “If I wasn’t alright, I wouldn’t be here. I’m curious what the gargoyles up on the roof have to say about all this nonsense… but I can check in with them later. I’m having a good time, in my own way.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“How about… wait, what’s that on your head?”

Azu diligently lowered her head for Sasha to examine it, wincing a little as she plucked something off of it. “What is it?”

As she righted herself, she noticed that Sasha’s face was bright red, and she held a small green sprig in her hands. 

“It’s mistletoe.”

“What’s that? I’ve never heard of it before,” Azu admitted, then gasped. “Is it poison? Is someone threatening the party?”

“No, no, it’s not poison. I mean, it _can_ be, if you mix it right, but not like this. This is just a holiday decoration that’s pretty common where I’m from. I bet Wilde hung it just to stir things up.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Sasha twirled the leaves between her fingers, and the blush in her cheeks hadn’t faded.

“Oh, it’s… part of the tradition of mistletoe is that you hang it up, right? And then when two people stand underneath it, they’re supposed to kiss. A silly tradition, really…”

Azu purposefully looked away from Sasha to try and diminish the awkwardness they were both feeling. After a moment, she tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach by saying, “Well, I’m not sure it counts if it gets stuck on my head because I forgot to duck. We can just toss it aside. No worries.” 

She smiled at Sasha and reached for the mistletoe to discard it, but Sasha continued to hang onto it. 

“Is that what you want?” Sasha asked, rolling up the leaves absentmindedly.

“What I want?” Azu sputtered. “What about what you want? I would never seek to place you in an uncomfortable or compromising situation. Your ease and safety is more important than any holiday tradition.”

Sasha smiled, then stepped toward Azu and reached up to tuck the remaining mistletoe behind her ear. They were both blushing, their faces red and hot, the furor of the party forgotten around them. 

“Can I…?” Sasha asked.

Azu had already leaned down so that Sasha could put the mistletoe behind her ear, and now their faces were so close to each other they could taste the spices from the wine on their breath.

“I would like that very much.”

Never seeking to make Sasha feel trapped or unsafe, Azu allowed her to take the lead and kept her hands to herself. Sasha pressed her lips slowly and tentatively to Azu’s before folding into her. She tugged on Azu’s lapels and Azu took the invitation to wrap her arms gently around Sasha’s waist, pulling her in just a little bit closer.

A loud cry from the sitting room and a crash of shattering glass broke them from each other, and Sasha immediately darted backwards toward the shadows, the telltale glint of a dagger visible as she reached into her pocket. When she realized that there was no threat other than drunkenness, she turned back to Azu and bit her lip to hide a smile. 

“Sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” Azu asked, stepping toward Sasha, but not going too close.

“I… don’t know, really. I just figured that…” she waved her hands around them and pointed at the mistletoe dangling haphazardly from Azu’s ear. “For that.”

“Don’t be. That was… that was good.”

They both giggled, their eyes darting back and forth between their partner and their surroundings. 

“If you would like to do that again, I would definitely be willing,” Azu said, picking her words carefully. “If not, then no harm done, and we can pretend it never happened.”

“No, no. I’m glad it happened. And I’d be glad if it happened again. Maybe not right now though. Sometime later? When it’s just us?”

Azu grinned and beamed. “That sounds wonderful. Though, if you’d like, I’m sure we could slip away now, and no one would notice.”

With a loud laugh, Sasha replied, “I’m pretty sure everyone notices you. Especially now. I think you’re glowing more than usual.”

“I don’t know what you could possibly mean,” she joked. The blush in her cheeks had almost gone, but now it flared right back up again. 

“There is a quiet chunk of garden I saw. Nobody seems to have found it yet. I don’t want to drag you away from the party, though.”

“I’d much rather be with you.”

Sasha reached out and took Azu’s hand to lead her through the hordes of partygoers and head outside, where the noise was at a much more tolerable level and the fresh air was a relief. They made their way to a far corner of the garden which was obscured from the masses by a large sculpture that Sasha knew she could fence for loads if she could just move it, or if she was willing to steal from Hamid. They took a seat on the bench and savored the silence and their presence.

Azu was happy for the peace and just to have Sasha beside her. They didn’t need to say anything, just to exist near each other. But as Sasha leaned in a little closer and her arm brushed against Azu’s, and as Azu reached out to hold Sasha’s hand and intertwine their fingers, it made the night complete. 

“Happy holidays,” Azu whispered. 

“Yeah. Same to you. This is… this is definitely the best gift I’ve ever gotten.”

Azu nodded. “Likewise.”

“You probably had way better holiday gifts growing up though. Mine were usually knives. Or a fish pie.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.”

Sasha giggled and squeezed Azu’s hand a little tighter. “No, not really. Compared to this, though? Compared to you? They’re nothing. And you’re everything.”


	3. In Every Era

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU

Sasha fell onto the couch beside Azu, some pointless show playing on the television and casting dizzying lights around the darkened room. It had been a long day. And now, neither of them wanted anything more than to just sit and be with each other. 

Azu extended an arm and Sasha eagerly tucked herself into it so that she could lean entirely against Azu. A finger rubbed absentmindedly along Sasha’s arm as they both breathed in the other and finally relaxed. 

The television show changed, and Sasha repositioned herself so that her head rested on Azu’s leg. As she fell asleep and started to snore, Azu gently played with the white hair that adorned Sasha’s temple. Sasha always complained about the way it looked, but Azu loved it. 

With a heavy sigh, Azu noted the time but was uneager to wake Sasha or move from their comfortable position. Tomorrow would be another long day, but at least they could always come home to each other. 

Doing her best not to wake Sasha, Azu slid her leg out from under her head and stood. She carefully grabbed Sasha under the arms and lifted her up to carry her into the bedroom so that she could get a proper, comfortable night sleep. Somehow, Sasha must have been just awake enough that she wrapped her arms around Azu’s shoulders and her legs around her waist to make it easier to get where they were going. 

When Azu tried to set Sasha down on the mattress, Sasha didn’t let go. She held to Azu like a vice grip, half in sleepy unconsciousness and half the desire to keep being held like that, warm and safe. 

“I’ll be right back,” Azu whispered, and Sasha reluctantly released her hold, though a hand still tugged on Azu’s shirt until she literally pulled it away. 

Azu crawled into bed a few minutes later, after getting herself ready to sleep and setting up all they would need in the morning. She rolled over to tuck Sasha back under her arm, their bodies pressed tightly together. Sasha gave a contented murmur in her sleep. 

“Goodnight, love,” Azu said quietly, pressing a kiss to Sasha’s forehead. “I love you.”

In a sleepy grumble that made the words no less sincere, Sasha replied, “I love you too.”


	4. Paper Trail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasha is gone without a trace, and Azu can't help but fear that she's done something to drive her away.

Azu bolted awake, looking around her frantically. The space beside her in bed was empty. 

“Sasha? Sasha!” She cried. 

It wasn’t as if it would be the first time Sasha had darted off without a word or a sound, but it was the first time Azu had woken up without her there. Every time they’d slept side by side, Sasha had been there in the morning. 

To wake up and find her gone? Azu couldn’t help but worry. 

However, she also knew that if Sasha had snuck off, there was likely no way that she would find her unless she wanted to be found. And Sasha never wanted to be found. 

Had she done something wrong? She respected that Sasha was less open with words and emotions than she was, but perhaps she’d come on too strong? Maybe confessing how she felt about Sasha, how she savored the time they spent together, how she adored getting to sleep beside her when they could both put their guard down because they were absolutely safe, so long as they were together… maybe that had been too much for Sasha. 

Azu spent the morning in her small room, polishing her armor, sharpening her axe, and praying to Aphrodite. If anyone could shed some light on the matter and the maelstrom of emotions swirling in Azu’s gut, it would be the goddess of love. A few hours passed, but Azu didn’t even consider leaving in case Sasha came back and found the place empty. 

If it weren’t for the obnoxious squeak of the door, Azu probably wouldn’t have heard anyone enter the room. Sasha’s footsteps were as quiet as ever, even without trying. 

“Sasha!” Azu exclaimed, rising from her kneeling position and darting toward her. “I was so worried! Can I hug you?”

“Yes?” Sasha said, confused, and let Azu wrap her up in a tight embrace. 

“I didn’t know where you’d gone,” Azu muttered. “I thought you had left. Left completely, left me.”

“No, of course not. I woke up early, so I decided to head out for a bit. I didn’t wake you up because you were still sound asleep.” 

“I know you can take care of yourself. I know that. But I was afraid… I was afraid I had done something to scare you off, or something of the like.”

Sasha took a deep breath as she realized how her actions had come across. She hugged Azu back and nuzzled gently into her shoulder. 

“I’m sorry,” Sasha whispered. 

“If I did anything, or said anything, or-”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re… you’re good. I didn’t mean to worry you. I really did just head out and to meet with the gargoyles for a bit while you got some more sleep. I know I’m not always the best with feelings and all that,” Sasha admitted with a faint smile as she backed away to look up at Azu, “but it’ll take more than you telling me you care about me to scare me off.”

Azu exhaled, relieved, and pressed her lips to Sasha’s forehead. Then she stepped back hastily. “I’m sorry, was that alright? I should have asked first.” Sasha wasn’t always interested in physical intimacy, and even the slightest contact sometimes made her skin crawl. Azu knew this and did her best to ask to make sure before touching her in any way, but sometimes it slipped her mind in the moment. 

“Yeah, it was. It is. You’re… I’m… _we’re…_ ”

Sasha gently took hold of Azu’s collar and tugged her down so that she could give her a quick kiss on the lips. 

“I’ll leave a note if I head out before you’re awake again,” Sasha said.

“I would appreciate it.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“I’m sorry for overreacting.”

“It’s all good. And, well, thank you. For everything.”

Azu smiled wide. There were plenty of problems in the world worth worrying about, but what she shared with Sasha? That didn’t seem to be one of them. 

The next few mornings, Azu awoke to find Sasha beside her, either still snoring quietly with a dagger clutched in her far hand or groggily staring at the ceiling as she decided whether or not to wake up completely. When Azu finally found the space beside her empty of Sasha’s form again, she almost panicked before she saw the small piece of parchment sitting on the pillow. 

_I’ll be back with breakfast in a little bit. Sleep well. Love, Sasha_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!! And a big thank you to the mods of Azu Week for setting up an amazing event for our favorite orc paladin! <3
> 
> If you want to find more of my writing or learn about my original characters, check out kellanswritingblog.tumblr.com, or head over to celsidebottom.tumblr.com for my personal <3


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